He's not the messiah - he's a very naughty boy...

So, as yet another England footballer falls foul to a kiss-and-tell story, a number of national news outlets have been circling following the allegations surrounding Wayne Rooney's private life, citing it as proof that the current crop of English talent is rotten to the core.

With other recent stories concerning the likes of John Terry, Ashley Cole and Peter Crouch, anybody would think that the current squad are involved in some sort of perverse race to disgrace themselves in the most embarrassing manner possible, yet the simple equation of "stupid footballers + aspiring models x money = happy editors" doesn't tell the whole story here.

Whilst these players have, on a personal level, undoubtedly let down their respective partners and families, the level of reaction to their private affairs perhaps says more about us as a nation, or rather, what we as a nation expect of those in certain positions (no pun intended).

We live in a disposable society, where success is measured in column inches and bank balances. Although the names of the people involved might make a case of cheating more scandalous, it is not presumpuous to assume that we all know of somebody who has, or is, currently cheating on their partner. Therefore, it is not surprising that when these rich, young, talented men are tempted by the throngs of party girls who view them as their one chance to make a name for themselves.

The high-pressure environment of their work lives, coupled with the intense levels of fame and fortune from teenaged years is a heady combination for affairs of this nature. If you offered the majority of men between 18 and 35 one 'lad's night' out every three month, but around £30, 000 with which to play around with, the chances of a quiet night in the local are practically non-existent.

This is not to lay the blame at the feet of the players' wives and girlfriends either, as they must live up to impossible expectations; they are resented for their cherished positions alongside their cash cow alpha males, wary in the knowledge that there are literally hundreds, if not thousands of girls who would gladly fight them, and I mean literally fight them, to be with these 'superstars'. And if they're not up-to-date with the latest trends or being doting mothers, then they are being criticised for simply spending their partners' money; it's a 'Catch 22' situation for many of these women in the impossible war against the tabloids.
This is enough to put a strain on any partnership, particularly one involving young people, still finding their place in the world, and their own identity.

In terms of the extra-curricular activities, Rooney's case could be considered as slightly different, in that he allegedly paid for Jennifer Thompson's 'services'. This suggests that both of them were aware of the nature of the relationship, and, in essence, were using each other; Rooney was getting his kicks from an eager participant, safe in the knowledge that his wads of cash would pay for whatever his heart (or other organs) wished, whilst 'Juicy Jeni' benefitted from the money, and from the inevitable kiss-and-tell story that has been sold to the papers.

If anything, the £200 he allegedly gave a member of the hotel staff for one pack of Marlboro cigarettes is more shocking, as it simply highlights the warped reality in which many of these players live. Perhaps he thought that the money he was paying to Thompson and the staff member would buy their silence, yet he was naive if he thought that somebody selling their body to England's star striker wouldn't then sell their experiences to the papers.

While the case of a cheating spouse rarely ends well, one can only help but feel that there are more important things going on in the world than whether Wayne Rooney is a good husband or not. If he did indeed cheat on his pregnant wife, then that simply tells us that he doesn't necessarily have either the emotional capability, or required intelligence, to realise that this isn't necessarily a good thing to do; but that doesn't change the fact that he is contractually, he is paid to be a footballer, and nothing more. If he was being paid by his club (and by extension, his fans) to be honest and respectable, then his actions would be deserving of official reprimand.

However, he's paid by Manchester United to play football, and, as his goal against Switzerland showed, if he does not let his personal life affect his professional life, then it's up to him how he spends his time and money. In comparison, John Terry's alleged involvement with Wayne Bridge's ex-wife, Veronica Perroncel, directly affected Bridge's involvement with the national team, and Fabio Capello decided to strip Terry of the captaincy - as long as his fellow players are comfortable playing with him, then it is again a private matter; no matter how dislikeable a person is, if they and you can do your jobs in relative harmony, then that's what counts.

It is a different case with Rooney's sponsors, of course, who are paying him based not only upon his talent, but also his image, which has unquestionably been tarnished by this whole debacle. In the same way as Tiger Woods, he may not only lose his marriage, but face the prospect of having his bank account (any future earnings) severely dented, should Coleen decide to go it alone. In this case, he has marketed his image to a particular degree, and it is up to his sponsors to determine whether his association with harm their brand.

In this respect, Coleen Rooney does seem to hold the upper hand in the ensuing discussions between the couple. If she to decided to leave her husband, she would surely gain a big share of his past, present, and future earnings, whilst also being able to command large deals through her own personal contracts with big-name brands, including Littlewoods, Argos, ITV and LG Phones; needless to say, she would gain the public's support over any separation, just as Cheryl Tweedy did in her split with Ashley Cole.

This whole affair simply reinforces the cult of celebrity that currently envelopes us; we are like moths to a tacky flame, knowing that we will be burnt to a cinder by the likes of JT, Wazza and their hangers-on, but we can't help guzzling their exploits like a milkshake of piss and indignant bile.

There are plenty of examples of current players who approach the game, and their lives, responsibly. Paul Scholes is a one-club, one-woman family man, and he still commands a place in the Manchester United team, despite his 35 years of age. He avoids the glare of the spotlight, but he does his job well, and then goes home. But with the huge growth of interactivity and social networking sites over the past few years, stars are being caught out more regularly, and scandals will continue to spill out in real time before our very eyes and fingers. Twitter feeds allow us direct contact with the stars, giving fans a window into their world, and the celebrities a chance to bypass their carefully crafted PR image. However, it works both ways; the immediacy of the site didn't aid Kevin Pietersen when he unwisely decided to use his 140 characters to call the England selector Geoff Miller 'a prick' after being dropped. Those with a brand to protect, particularly footballers, should be wary of cracking out the Blackberry to inform us of juicy details in future.

The furore surrounding these players, girls, and their lives surely suggests that if we are looking to them for an example of how to live, then we're not going to get it. Perhaps more importantly, if the children of today grow up constantly being told that these players represent the pinnacle of achievement within society, rather than simply being very good at kicking a ball, then we need to have a rethink about the pressures we place upon children to be successful, regardless of the cost.

If we are looking to footballers as the guardians of our collective moral compass, then we might as well batten down the hatches and wait until the day that the winner of the Big Brother 2012 reunion show overthrows the government in a popularity coup and demands the nuclear codes. Wayne Rooney is no more a 'hero' than your next door neighbour. Being a great footballer doesn't make you any less of an idiot, or a cheat; it simply makes you a very well-paid idiot. The sooner we realise that footballers are just the same as other young men, but with more expensive tastes, the better.